Chapter 4
Quote: "In a collective, there is no sense of a core or center. People are free to move in and out of the group at various times for various reasons, and their participation may vary based on topic, interest, experience, or need." This quote is about the importance and format of a collective. Collectives are more voluntary in nature and organic. This is part of their strenth.
Question: How can we as educators work to develop an atmosphere of collective learning using technology in the classroom?
Connection: One of the most prominent examples of using the collective as a way of learning is the google+ group for EDSS530. When someone has a question, or comment, they have the space to interact with their peers and ask questions and get answers on the forum. I learned to turn email notifications off because Mark gave a tutorial on how to turn them off. I have also seen other students make announcements and let others know when an opportunity has come up.
Epiphany/Aha: Trying to define or contain the collective learning experience can be counterproductive for its success.
Chapter 5
Quote: "Collectives are not simply new forms of public spaces. They are built and structured around participation and therefore carry a different sense of investment for those who engage in them. When, for example, a person sings a song onstage at a karaoke bar, he is doing it within a collective environment. It may appear to be a public act, but it is very different from performing in the middle of Central Park or belting out a tune on American Idol in front of millions of viewers." This quote shows the distinction between different types of private and public interactions. It shows that there is a middle ground between the two and not always an exact division.
Question: Will this trend of more and more sharing continue, or will a new attitude become popular where people begin to be less visible and collaborative again?
Connection: This concept of collectives as a special kind of public space reminds me of the google+ group in EDSS530. It is a group which only members of the class can participate in. In this way, though there is an audience of 55 or so people, everyone is a part of the same experience who is in the group. It is more of a group among peers, then a public group.
Epiphany/Aha: My epiphany this chapter is that there are not just two kinds of spaces, public and private, but new types of spaces that are a blend of the two.
Chapter 6
Quote: "The twenty-first century, however, belongs to the tacit. In the digital world, we learn by doing, watching, and experiencing. Generally, people don’t take a class or read books or manuals to learn how to use a web browser or e-mail program. They just start doing it, learning by absorption and making tacit connections. And the more they do it, the more they learn." This quote illustrates the importance of learning through doing. It is true, when I started using email, I didn't read about how to use it, I just started exploring the email and sending messages.
Question: How do we ask the right questions, and get students to ask the right questions, in order to encourage tacit learning in students?
Connection: Reading this chapter I am reminded of several of the activities we did in EDSS530. In most cases, we learned how to use a new tool through using the tool. We also explained how to use different technology in order to further develop our learning about technology. In the past, it may have been more common to just read about something rather than engage with it to learn more about it.
Epiphany/Aha: Many students today already have the mentality of teamwork, learning through doing and collective learning. For example, many video games use these concepts. Students are ready for these types of educational experiences if schools provide them.
Quote: "In a collective, there is no sense of a core or center. People are free to move in and out of the group at various times for various reasons, and their participation may vary based on topic, interest, experience, or need." This quote is about the importance and format of a collective. Collectives are more voluntary in nature and organic. This is part of their strenth.
Question: How can we as educators work to develop an atmosphere of collective learning using technology in the classroom?
Connection: One of the most prominent examples of using the collective as a way of learning is the google+ group for EDSS530. When someone has a question, or comment, they have the space to interact with their peers and ask questions and get answers on the forum. I learned to turn email notifications off because Mark gave a tutorial on how to turn them off. I have also seen other students make announcements and let others know when an opportunity has come up.
Epiphany/Aha: Trying to define or contain the collective learning experience can be counterproductive for its success.
Chapter 5
Quote: "Collectives are not simply new forms of public spaces. They are built and structured around participation and therefore carry a different sense of investment for those who engage in them. When, for example, a person sings a song onstage at a karaoke bar, he is doing it within a collective environment. It may appear to be a public act, but it is very different from performing in the middle of Central Park or belting out a tune on American Idol in front of millions of viewers." This quote shows the distinction between different types of private and public interactions. It shows that there is a middle ground between the two and not always an exact division.
Question: Will this trend of more and more sharing continue, or will a new attitude become popular where people begin to be less visible and collaborative again?
Connection: This concept of collectives as a special kind of public space reminds me of the google+ group in EDSS530. It is a group which only members of the class can participate in. In this way, though there is an audience of 55 or so people, everyone is a part of the same experience who is in the group. It is more of a group among peers, then a public group.
Epiphany/Aha: My epiphany this chapter is that there are not just two kinds of spaces, public and private, but new types of spaces that are a blend of the two.
Chapter 6
Quote: "The twenty-first century, however, belongs to the tacit. In the digital world, we learn by doing, watching, and experiencing. Generally, people don’t take a class or read books or manuals to learn how to use a web browser or e-mail program. They just start doing it, learning by absorption and making tacit connections. And the more they do it, the more they learn." This quote illustrates the importance of learning through doing. It is true, when I started using email, I didn't read about how to use it, I just started exploring the email and sending messages.
Question: How do we ask the right questions, and get students to ask the right questions, in order to encourage tacit learning in students?
Connection: Reading this chapter I am reminded of several of the activities we did in EDSS530. In most cases, we learned how to use a new tool through using the tool. We also explained how to use different technology in order to further develop our learning about technology. In the past, it may have been more common to just read about something rather than engage with it to learn more about it.
Epiphany/Aha: Many students today already have the mentality of teamwork, learning through doing and collective learning. For example, many video games use these concepts. Students are ready for these types of educational experiences if schools provide them.